


Goddess Thine

by Astr



Series: AU-gust 2020 [23]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Aphrodite is a sweetheart and not a bitch and I will die on this hill, Arranged Marriage, Cute, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hephaestus and aphrodite have a loving relationship, Hera likewise is not a bitch, Tenderness, Zeus is a DICK, mild pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26052820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astr/pseuds/Astr
Summary: Au-gust Prompt: 23. Arranged Marriage auAphrodite is betrothed to Hephaestus, the ugliest of the gods, as punishment for kind of maybe starting the Trojan War.Too bad she isn't half the monster they think she is.
Relationships: Aphrodite/Hephaestus
Series: AU-gust 2020 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853722
Comments: 4
Kudos: 79





	Goddess Thine

**Author's Note:**

> I just really really love the notion of Aphrodite and Hephaestus having a caring, loving relationship, okay? 
> 
> And Hera not being some wrathful, horrible bitch, because looking at it objectively, she is in one hell of an abusive relationship, that she cannot leave.

"For your punishment, you must marry Hephaestus," Zeus announced, and a hush fell over the court. He had just sentenced his lovely Aphrodite, the most beautiful of the Goddesses, to a life bound to the ugliest God. 

Her crime? She had helped Helen escape Troy, and the controlling man who was her husband, to be with one who would love and cherish her as she deserved. Yes, it had been partly so that she would win the Golden Apple. Yes, it had started a war. A war that they all knew was coming regardless. 

Aphrodite watched on, face blank, amused by Zeus's reaction to her lack of one. He had clearly expected her to be furious, for her to prove the rumours of her vanity true. But she was not the Goddess of cruelty, or of anger, or vanity or greed. Aphrodite was the Goddess of Love. She simply remained passive, nodding. 

She wondered if anyone else noticed as Hephaestus limped out of the room, tears in his eyes. Hera did, thankfully, walking after her son, shooting a murderous glare at her husband, who didn't seem to notice. How cruel an irony, Aphrodite mused within herself, that the Goddess of Marriage and faithfulness and family should be bound to such a man. 

Seeing he would get no rise from her, Zeus waved his hand. "You shall be wed at midnight, take the next month as a honeymoon. I hope you can stand it," he added, and again she merely nodded, stepping gracefully from the chamber, following Hera and Hephaestus. 

She found the queen alone, watching as her eldest son limped into his workshop. Aphrodite hesitated. She wasn't entirely sure she should do this. But she had to.

"Hera, my queen," she began quietly, and the woman sent a glare her way.

"What do you want, after taking everything else from me?" Hera was still bitter, it seemed, about the Apple. Of course, it also could have been about any number of other things, any one of her husband's many mistresses. But Aphrodite steeled herself, stepping closer.

"I actually wish to ask for your Blessing," she murmured, watching as Hephaestus slammed his door shut in the distance.

"My Blessing? For what purpose?"

"I wish to have your blessing to marry your son."

"Ares? Seeking to elope and escape your punishment?"

And after he had promised not to say anything. Not that she had anything to hide, seeing as how he had taken her with only the barest concern for her actual consent. He left her alone, carrying a son that luckily inherited very little from his father, and everyone had something to say about it. But she could be mad about that later.

"No, Hera. Hephaestus. Zeus may not care what he or you think, but I do. I don't want to be married to a man that will never love me, or who feels that our union is a punishment, regardless of what his father or anyone else says."

The elder Goddess looked rather taken aback by that. Aphrodite wasn't surprised. This was why she stayed away from Olympus. All anyone could see was a pretty face, and rumours from spurned lovers.

"You would willingly marry my boy?"

"I would."

"You would love him? Be faithful?"

"Despite the rumours, my queen, I would. I would only ask that he do the same."

"He- how dare you?"

"Zeus holds no secrets, nor does Ares. I have not heard of your oldest breaking any hearts, but that doesn't mean he is incapable of such. He is not so ugly as the world would have him think. He is also strong, warm, clever. I happen to know many a young man and woman that value those above petty things."

Hera paused, looking down.

"I have judged you so harshly, you know. Blaming you for every indiscretion of my husband."

"Those are not acts of love, my queen, and I hold no power in them. Just as you are not so cruel as the world thinks, I am not so vain."

"The world does think me that, then." It was not a question, merely a confirmation. It hurt to see so mighty a woman reduced to such pain.

"The world is wrong about much, my queen."

She hugged her, then. Poured all of the love she could into the broken woman, so worn down by everyone's expectations. If she lashed out in anger, she was cruel. If she did nothing, she was uncaring of his cheating, and a hypocrite.

Few knew what had truly happened between Hera and Zeus. Aphrodite did. It was not love. And as Goddess of Marriage, Hera could never leave.

Aphrodite could think of very few crueler tragedies.

"You are kind, Aphrodite. Despite what the world may say."

"As are you, my queen. Which is why your blessing would mean more to me than anything."

"You have it, my daughter."

Aphrodite felt the tears fill her eyes, and she looked away to wipe them from her face. Hera smiled then, sad but filled with love. 

"Will you talk to him, Hera? I don't want to hurt him, to burden him with my presence so soon after such a cruelty has been done to him."

"Not so cruel as you may think. He has been asking me for my approval of you for eons, you know. He is quite taken with you."

"Like Ares?"

It was unsurprising that her new fiance lusted after her. Most men did. It was her curse as much as anyone wanted to call it a blessing.

"Perhaps. But I think he may be gifted with seeing people as they are, not as the world wishes them to be."

"Then you have taught him well."

"I had no part of it."

"I would have to disagree, my queen. No mother who so quickly rushes after her distraught child could be so uninvolved in his raising. It is alright. I will keep your secrets, if you do mine."

"My poor husband doesn't know what a monster he's created in his judgement, does he?"

"Not one clue. Would you be there for the ceremony? Would you perform it?"

"I would be honoured. Where shall we hold it?"

"I was thinking perhaps the Underworld. With Hades and Persephone bearing witness."

"That will make him positively furious."

"Good."

The two Goddesses laughed at that, and went their separate ways. Hera to prepare her son and his soft heart for a joyous occasion (despite the taunts of his peers), and Aphrodite to prepare herself for her wedding day. Zeus may have wished her to hate it, to beg him not to force such cruelty upon her, but she would not bow to his whims. Would not allow this to be anything but a happy, wonderful occasion.

It would be a quiet affair, much like the marriage and renewal of vows between her son and Psyche (and she was feeling ancient at that particular memory. Psyche was pregnant now, after all. She was to be a grandmother).

When the hour was upon them, Aphrodite made her way to the end of the room, Eros' warm hand on her arm. He had demanded to walk her down the aisle, since no one else would. Zeus hadn't even bothered to show up, despite the greatness of the occasion, nor the fact that it was his punishment of her. Maybe Hades had scared him off. She hoped so. She much preferred the eldest of the three brothers. He was far more loving than either of the other two.

Then Hephaestus, at the head of the chamber with his mother, her gentle hand braced on him to steady him, turned to see his bride. His eyes went wide, and she couldn't help grinning. He looked at her like the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and not in the way that so many others did. He appeared to see her. Truly. She couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes, hoping he only saw her smile. 

Visions flashed in her mind, then, of loving embraces, of swelling with his child, his hands so warm and calloused caressing her belly where knew life grew, joy, love. So much love it caused her to cry harder. Theirs would be a happy union.

Hera had blessed them and shared with her their future, and the smile Aphrodite saw on her face erased every worry she had.

They would have a happily ever after, in spite of what anyone else would think.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
